1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to audio systems, and more specifically to an audio component with an integrated digital recording and storage media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Audio recording and playback for use both in homes and automobiles is a constantly evolving technology wherein new products are being introduced and existing products are being improved upon in order to achieve a high quality sound. Manufacturers of these audio components continually add to the long list of features and functionality of the components in order to set their products above the rest.
The arrival of digital recording and playback technology has revolutionized this industry, combining the fields of sound amplification and acoustics with computer electronics. As a result, a high degree of audio clarity and quality can be achieved at a relatively low cost, incorporating the virtually unending functionality that modern micro-processing electronics offer. As a result of these significant advancements in the field, competition among the producers of this type of equipment is fierce as consumers demand cutting edge technology for their money. One of the products resulting from this customer demand are the CD changers wherein several compact discs are inserted and selectively played over the audio system. In an automobile scenario, typically mounted in the trunk, beneath the seat or in the glove compartment, these systems can be burdensome to use because the user must select the few favorite CD""s he or she wishes to use, must access a remote location to access the changer and, depending upon the system, memorize or otherwise record the identity of the particular discs currently in the changer. Furthermore, the user may have a favorite song or track from a CD in which the remaining songs do not suit his or her taste, but nevertheless must include the entire disc if access to that song is desired. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which an audio system can provide access to both the user""s favorite CD""s and track selections that is easy to use and access and that eliminates the burdens associated with the use of conventional CD changers. The present invention fulfills this need.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, several references are directed to digital audio recording means incorporating a variety of storage mediums including hard drives, magnetic tapes, and optical disks and the like. None of these disclosures, however, disclose any incorporation of these devices in a home or automotive audio CD player or audio system and, as such, they neither anticipate nor disclose any embodiment that would negate the novelty of, or make obvious the utilitarian functionality of the present invention.
Several patents disclose digital recording methods and apparatuses used to convert audio signals from analog and digital formats and store them on magnetic media such as hard discs:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,378 issued in the name of Miyake;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,466 issued in the name of Fisher et. al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,779 issued in the name of lizuka; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,352 issued in the name of lizuka.
All of these disclosures are directed solely to the methods involved in data compression, transfer and conversion required to store an audio signal in a digital format and methods by which to tag individual tracks for identification and location purposes. Although the main feature of these devices is the ability to provide instantaneous selection and access to a variety of digitally recorded tracks, the purpose demonstrated by these disclosures is that of simplifying the procedures involved in editing the audio data, particularly in professional recording applications and environments. None of these disclosures, however, identify or anticipate incorporation of these methods and devices into recording and playback apparatuses intended for consumer level use in either homes or automobiles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,509 issued in the name of Knowles, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,350 issued in the name of Frank et. al., disclose audio/visual jukebox type devices that incorporate the use of magnetic mass storage media to store a variety of audio tracks and accompanying video signals for selective playback by the user.
The Knowles patent describes a audio/video jukebox having an interactive touch-screen menu in which the user can select a music video to sing along with karaoke-style. The Frank et al. patent discloses an audio/video jukebox system wherein a centralized storage unit distributes music videos to a variety of remotely located video screen/speaker arrangements. Intended primarily for entertainment purposes at the individual tables of restaurants and the like, the system allows patrons to select the tracks desired to be listened to at individual tables rather than relying on the selections of all of the patrons as a whole as is the case where a single jukebox services the entire location. While these disclosures do describe magnetic media recording for selective playback in a consumer entertainment environment, none of these disclosures identify or anticipate incorporation of these methods and devices into recording and playback apparatuses intended for consumer level use in either homes or automobiles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,593 issued in the name of Kanai et. al. discloses a method and apparatus that incorporated the use of a magnetic hard drive storage device to allow for level adjustments when converting audio signals from one format to another in a recording environment. The disclosure fails to identify or anticipate incorporation of these methods and devices into recording and playback apparatuses intended for consumer level use in either homes or automobiles.
While several features exhibited within these references may be incorporated into this invention, alone and in combination with other elements, the present invention is sufficiently different so as to make it distinguishable over the prior art.
The present invention consists of an audio system component with an integrated digital recorder and storage media that improves over conventional digital audio playback devices. In the preferred embodiment, the present invention improves over conventional car audio technology by providing an otherwise conventional CD player for automotive use with a built-in magnetic media hard drive of a capacity sufficient to store the music of several CDs. The device includes the same user-friendly interface that is typical of other modern electronic audio components that make it easy for him/her to record the individual songs or CDs of choice. The user simply stores the chosen individual songs or entire CDs on hard drive and they are ready for playback. Use of the present invention eliminates the need to carry several CDs and their cases, while still allowing the users to have their favorite songs at their fingertips. Alternative embodiments of the present invention anticipate the use of such a digital recording and storage media system in a home environment and in various configurations that include totally integrated CD, AM/FM receiver, amplifiers and loudspeakers as well as a stand alone component for use in conjunction with separate audio components.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an audio system component with an integrated digital recorder and storage media in which the use of a magnetic media hard drive allows for customized storage of several digital audio tracks recorded from CDs inserted into the CD player portion of the device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an audio system component with an integrated digital recorder and storage media in which the use of a magnetic media hard-drive allows for customized storage of several digital audio tracks recorded from receiver portion of the device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an audio system component with an integrated digital recorder and storage media in which the capacity of the hard drive is equivalent to that of several conventional audio CDs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an audio system component with an integrated digital recorder and storage media in which the user can program information associated with each track in order to identify the track title, artist, album title, and any other information deemed necessary by the user.
Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an audio system component with an integrated digital recorder and storage media in which a variety of features found on conventional CD players, such as random play, repeat and sample modes, are available for the enhancement of user""s listening pleasure.